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Dear All, Another point that may be taken into consideration: some people cannot not go to such a conference without potentially risking something for their own work. I'm thinking in particular about early career researchers. This is particularly the case of events which happen in the USA, because of the weight of the country. In this context maybe it could indeed be a wiser move to encourage the displacement of the events outside of the USA. Besides, while it must be appreciated that people attack these foul policies, I remember going on an event and learning that several speakers would not be with us because they had not been authorised inside the British territory, under the pretext of security and them being citizens of countries similar to those we speak about currently. Best, AM 2017-02-01 1:30 GMT+00:00 Sidaway, James Derrick <[log in to unmask]>: > Dear Paolo (and all) > > > > Indeed, pro-and contra- boycott arguments do share structural similarities > across space and time. > > Likewise Trumpism and other right-populisms share features with Fascism. > > > > But there are differences that demand discussion and judgement. In the > case of Israel, the call for scholarly boycott is a Palestinian-led > movement endorsed by leading Palestinian intellectuals and those in > solidarity with them. > > If it came to pass that a similar call came from US-based intellectuals > and scholarly societies opposing travel to conferences in the USA I would > not go there either. > > > > But, perhaps it is time for the AAG to consider holding its Annual Meeting > in Canada (something for which there is a precedent, though not for > explicit political reasons)? > > > > Best Wishes, James > > > > > > > > James D Sidaway :: Professor of Political Geography :: Department of > Geography :: National University of Singapore :: Kent Ridge :: Singapore > 117570 > > > > http://profile.nus.edu.sg/fass/geojds/stf_geojds.htm > > > > > > “Area Studies & Geography: Trajectories and Manifesto” > > https://societyandspace.com/2016/09/14/society-and-space- > 345-out-now-including-free-to-access-forum-on-area-studies-and-geography/ > > > > > > "An indispensable guide to the inevitable" http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/ > 9780754679752 > > > > "Transecting Security and Space in Kurdistan, Iraq" > http://epn.sagepub.com/content/47/10/2113.abstract > > > > Geography and Geographers: Anglo-American human geography since 1945, 7th > Edition > > https://www.routledge.com/Geography-and-Geographers-Anglo-American-human- > geography-since-1945-7th/Johnston-Sidaway/p/book/9780340985106 > > > > Jasmin Leila Award http://www.rgs.org/ourwork/ > grants/research/jasmin+leila+award.htm > > > > > > > > > > Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2017 10:35:57 +0000 > > From: Paolo Cardullo <[log in to unmask]> > > Subject: Re: Subject: Fwd: Call for an Academic Boycott of International > Conferences held in the US - a response > > > > Dear James, > > > > > > Please accept my 2-penny thought on this. Your argument is similar to > those who oppose boycot of Israel academics on the ground of curbing > "radical and intelligent people". I too bought into this argument before. > > > > > > However, what is happening right now, before our very eyes, is Fascism in > its crude form: Twitter-mocracy and institutional racist discrimination. I > wonder if the boycot of US academia would be not just a symbolic gesture, > but also an economic one—since US conferences budgets and fees (including > hotels, restaurants, etc) might become a considerable aspect in this nasty > equation. > > > > > > All the very best, > > > > Paolo > > > > > > ——— > > > > Dr. Paolo Cardullo > > > > Postdoctoral Researcher > > > > The Programmable City<http://progcity.maynoothuniversity.ie/about/> > > > > NIRSA - Maynooth > > > > > > See my Shelf<http://kiddingthecity.org> > > > > > > <http://kiddingthecity.org> > > > > <http://kiddingthecity.org> > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: A forum for critical and radical geographers < > [log in to unmask]> on behalf of Sidaway, James Derrick < > [log in to unmask]> > > Sent: 31 January 2017 01:34 > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Subject: Fwd: Call for an Academic Boycott of International > Conferences held in the US - a response > > > > > > Dear David (and all) > > > > > > > > Whilst I respect the long list of people who have signed the call for an > academic boycott of international conferences held in the US and the > sentiments that lead them to do so, I wonder what is gained politically and > what risks being lost in boycotting face-to-face interactions with the > critical cohort of America-based geography and geographers on ‘home > ground’? Those of us who might still be able to enter the USA to attend > conferences surely may participate in a variety of individual and > collective responses to this apprentice president’s Islamophobia, misogyny > and xenophobia? This seems to me to merit careful consideration, lest > scholars risk mirroring the illogic of geographical generalizations, > fetishes and fallacies that Mr Trump utters. > > > > > > > > The AAG itself has issued the following statement: > > > > > > > > “We are deeply concerned by the recent executive order that restricts the > ability of AAG members and the broader geography community from certain > countries from being able to enter or return to the United States. This > executive order is contrary to the values we hold dear in geography, which > is an inherently open and international discipline. Diversity and > international interactions in the field of geography are essential to > addressing global issues including security, peace, economic well-being, > and health, as well as to achieving global understanding of our world and > understanding in our world.….. > > > > > > > > The AAG welcomes all of our members and the international scientific > community to participate in our association’s activities, including at our > Annual Meetings which provide the world’s largest forum for international > exchange of scholarship, research, and applications in geography, to over > 9,000 attendees annually. This year an extraordinary special session will > discuss the challenges we now face and draw upon the insight and help of > our membership. > > > > > > > > We are committed to supporting all AAG members who are impacted by this > executive action. The Council and Executive Director are actively working > with determination in this effort and will provide regular updates…..” > > > > > > > > http://news.aag.org/2017/01/aag-statement-on-president- > trumps-executive-order/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > With best wishes > > > > > > > > James > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > p.s. I say, “may enter” having been detained twice (2002 and 2016) and > questioned about past travels, personal connections and research on arrival > at a US airport from overseas, on my way to join an AAG meeting. > > > > Moreover, one of the largely unnoticed aspects of the changes to US > regulations is that the visa waiver scheme (known as VWP requiring an > online application and payment of a small fee via a credit card) that > allows nationals of many countries visa-free travel to the USA for 90 days > has been suspended for anyone (bar military or diplomatic service) who > since 2011 has been to Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria or Yemen > following something called the: “Visa Waiver Program Improvement and > Terrorist Travel Prevention Act”. > > > > > > > > This of course affects those of us who have done fieldwork in any of these > states since 2011: > > > > > > > > “Under the Act, travelers in the following categories are no longer > eligible to travel or be admitted to the United States under the VWP: > > > > > > > > Nationals of VWP countries who have been present in Iraq, Syria, or > countries listed under specified designation lists (currently including > Iran and Sudan) at any time on or after March 1, 2011 (with limited > government/military exceptions). > > > > Nationals of VWP countries who have been present in Iraq, Syria, Iran, > Sudan, at any time on or after March 1, 2011 (with limited > government/military exceptions). > > > > These restrictions do not apply to VWP travelers whose presence in Iraq, > Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, or Yemen was to perform military > service in the armed forces of a program country, or in order to carry out > official duties as a full-time employee of the government of a program > country. We recommend those who have traveled to the seven countries listed > above for military/official purposes bring with them appropriate > documentation when traveling through a U.S. port of entry. > > > > The vast majority of VWP-eligible travelers will not be affected by the > new Act. New countries may be added to this list at the discretion of the > Secretary of Homeland Security.” > > > > > > > > https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/visa- > waiver-program/visa-waiver-program-improvement-and- > terrorist-travel-prevention-act-faq > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > James D Sidaway :: Professor of Political Geography :: Department of > Geography :: National University of Singapore :: Kent Ridge :: Singapore > 117570 > > > > > > > > http://profile.nus.edu.sg/fass/geojds/stf_geojds.htm > > > > > > > > > > > > “Area Studies & Geography: Trajectories and Manifesto” > > > > https://societyandspace.com/2016/09/14/society-and-space- > 345-out-now-including-free-to-access-forum-on-area-studies-and-geography/ > > > > > > > > > > > > "An indispensable guide to the inevitable" http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/ > 9780754679752 > > > > > > > > "Transecting Security and Space in Kurdistan, Iraq" > http://epn.sagepub.com/content/47/10/2113.abstract > > > > > > > > Geography and Geographers: Anglo-American human geography since 1945, 7th > Edition > > > > https://www.routledge.com/Geography-and-Geographers-Anglo-American-human- > geography-since-1945-7th/Johnston-Sidaway/p/book/9780340985106 > > > > > > > > Jasmin Leila Award http://www.rgs.org/ourwork/ > grants/research/jasmin+leila+award.htm > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2017 03:52:26 +0000 > > > > From: david hugill <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> > > > > Subject: Fwd: Call for an Academic Boycott of International Conferences > held in the US > > > > > > > > Dear friends and colleagues, > > > > > > > > Please consider signing on this letter: > > > > https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNN_2HHREt1h-dm_ > CgWpFHw8NDPGLCkOwB4lLRFtKFJqI25w/viewform > > > > > > > > In Solidarity with People Affected by the ‘Muslim Ban’: Call for an > > > > Academic Boycott of International Conferences held in the US > > > > On 27 January 2017, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order > > > > putting in place a 90-day ban that denies US entry to citizens from seven > > > > Muslim majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and > > > > Somalia. So far, the ban includes dual nationals, current visa, and green > > > > card holders, and those born in these countries while not holding > > > > citizenship of them. The Order also suspends the admittance of all refugees > > > > to the US for a period of 120 days and terminates indefinitely all refugee > > > > admissions from Syria. There are indications that the Order could be > > > > extended to include other Muslim majority countries. > > > > > > > > The Order has affected people with residence rights in the US, as well as > > > > those with rights of entry and stay. Some of those affected are fleeing > > > > violence and persecution, and have been waiting for years for resettlement > > > > in the US as refugees. Others are effectively trapped in the US, having > > > > cancelled planned travel for fear that they will be barred from returning. > > > > The order institutionalises racism, and fosters an environment in which > > > > people racialised as Muslim are vulnerable to ongoing and intensifying acts > > > > of violence and hatred. > > > > > > > > Among those affected by the Order are academics and students who are unable > > > > to participate in conferences and the free communication of ideas. We the > > > > undersigned take action in solidarity with those affected by Trump’s > > > > Executive Order by pledging not to attend international conferences in the > > > > US while the ban persists. We question the intellectual integrity of these > > > > spaces and the dialogues they are designed to encourage while Muslim > > > > colleagues are explicitly excluded from them. > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Irina Cerichttps://kwantlen.academia.edu/IrinaCeric > > > > Vancouver/Unceded Coast Salish Territories > > > > > > > > -- > > > > DAVID HUGILL > > > > [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> > > > > 416-459-1141 <(416)%20459-1141> > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > Important: This email is confidential and may be privileged. If you are > not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify us immediately; you > should not copy or use it for any purpose, nor disclose its contents to any > other person. Thank you. > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Important: This email is confidential and may be privileged. If you are > not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify us immediately; you > should not copy or use it for any purpose, nor disclose its contents to any > other person. Thank you. >